Tool



T. F. CONNORS March 25, 1930.

TOOL

Filed July l, 1927 Illia. Ow CH Hmm TTOe/vnf.

Patentecl Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS F. CONNORS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, .BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T I CHARLES G. MCGHIE, OF ST. CATI-IARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA TOOL Application filed July 1, 1927. Serial No. 202,840.

This invention in its broader aspects relates to tools and other devices having handles to be gripped by the user, and in some of its aspects the invention has to do particularly with such load bearing tools as hoes, rake-s,

shovels, forks and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a tool or other handled device having a handle of improved construction.

' Further objects ofthe invention are comprised in the provision of an improved load bearing tool having an elongated handle and which is exceedingly strong and durable, of very moderate weight, well balanced in the hands of the user, and the handle as well as the body or tool proper of which is made of material which is always readily available in suitable quality at moderate prices.

`Other objects more or less incidental or ancillary to the foregoing will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an examination of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In `the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing one form of my improved load bearing tool, some parts being broken away and others in section to illustrate the detail construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l' looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and illustrating the manner of attaching the shank to the tool proper.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the attaching shank.

5 Fig. t is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the handle illustrating'the manner of lsecuring the heat insulating covering.

' Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of securing the grip member to the upper end of the handle.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating themanner of securing the metal ferrule to the lower portion of the handle. 4

Figf is an enlarged elevation showing a section of the handle with the heat-insulating material removed. y

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the manner of attaching a tubular steel v,handle to.Y a-.dierent type of tool. i .1

proper, and a wooden grip member t secured to the upper end of the handle 2.

The tubular metal handle 2 comprises an elongated cylindrical body portion or shaft section 5 and a reduced extension 6 formed integral with the shaft section. One end of the shank 3 fits within the open end of the Y reduced extension 6 and is welded thereto at 7. The shank 3 is in the shape of a goose neck and is provided at its free end with an integral enlargement 8 having a flat surface 9 which lies against the front face of the hoe blade 1. See Figs. l, 2 and 3. The enlargement 8 is rigidly secured to the hoe blade by means of spot welding indicated at l0, l0. A V-shaped notch l1 is cut in the upper edge of the blade and receives a correspondingly V-shaped projection 12 formed on the rear of the shank 3 thus providing a means for centering the shank and hoe blade during the spot welding.

Due to the heat absorbing qualities and high thermal conductivity of metal it is necessary, in the case of tools exposed to the hot sun of summer, in order to have a comfortable gripping surface for the hands of the user, to cover a part of the handle with some suitable heat-insulating material. A

yibrous or cellular substance is desirable for calendered surface, is flexible and, especially if a fabric backing is employed, has a high tensile strength. For the sake of simplicity and convenience, I Will use the term composition cork herein as inculsive of any composite sheet material including cork or an equivalent brous or cellular non-conductor as the principle non-conducting constituent thespace between the abutting edges of the adhere.

'so `as to protect the same. 'iirmly secured to the handleatthe juncture and 'affording a surface suitable for the handle of a tool orA the like.

In the'preferred forrnof tool trated, the cylindrical body portion 5 of the handle is covered with a layer of composition cork 13 which is in the Vform of a relatively thin ribbon-like strip le Wound spirally upon the exterior surface of the cylindrical body portion with the adjacent edges of neighboring convolutions of the cork arranged in abutting relation to each other. See Fig. 4C. The strip 11i is firmly secured to the surface of the handle by means of a Water-proof cement indicated at 15, which is applied to the strip as it is being Wound upon the handle. The exterior surface of the cylindrical-body portion is roughened, preferably by knurling, as indicated at v16 in Fig. 7 so as to provide a roughen'ed surface to Which the Waterfp'roof cement Will firmly The cement is applied in quantities slightly in excess of what would ordinarily 'be required so that it Will'flow into and fill cork and thusV seal and integrate the Whole after it has dried. The covered handle is treated Withfsand paper or the like to remove any excesscement, thus producing a handle surface that;is heat insulated, smooth and otherwise suitable for the intended use.'

As previously stated the composition cork may or may not have a fabric backing. As shovvn in Fig. 4f' it does not have such a baclfing While in the construction illustrated in Fig. 10, the sheet .comprises a' fabric back 17 to which is strongly secured the coating ofcorkk and adhesive. In making the fabricf backed sheet, the adhesive is -caused to flow `upon and spread over the web ofclothas the.. latter is advanced. The powdered cork, or

equivalent material, is then delivered upon .and luniformly. spread overthe Weby "which then passes between rollers thatcompress and integrate the fabric, 'adhesive vand cork and-give the latter a suitablyv smooth surface forxthev intended use.

. vAmetal ferrule 19 nts over thelowerend .of thev spirally'vvrapped cork ofthe handle The ferrule is of the cylindrical body portion 5 and reduced extension 6' by anysuitable means such as prick punching indicated at 20 in Fig. 6.

Theupper end of the handle is fittedv With a grip member i somewhat vlarger in diameter than the shaft of the handle. This member is made of; suitable hardwood and comprises a gripping portion 21 which is of sutlicienb handle illusthe outer endV of the composition cork vvrapping and serves as a means for protecting the cork as in the case of the-metal ferrule. The grip member is iirmlysecured Within the free end of the cylindrical body rligortion byV any suitable means s ulr `prick punch-k ling'as indicated at 24. The extension 22 serves as a reenforcing means for the end of the tubular handle. f

, My improved tool is manufactured and assembled in the Vfollowing manner. VIn forming the handle of the tool I take a suita-V ble length ofdravvn or Welded steel tubing of circular cross section and uniform diameter throughout. 'First, one end of this tube is swaged to provide the reduced or tapered l,

extension 6. The tube then has the cylindrical part of its surface mechanically roughened in some suitable manner, as by means of a knurling tool, sand blast, Wire brush or the like. I prefer to accomplish the'rouglrV ening by knurling and this can be' effected rapidly'by a suitable machine in which the knurling 'wheel or Wheels and the tube are imultaneously rotated and fed axially relative tc each other, so that the knurling Wheel follows a spiral path on the surface-of the tube as indicated in Fig. 7 Next the covering of heat-insulating cork is applied to the handle tube. This is 1 preferably accomplished by a special ymechanism such asis disclosed sin the @pending-application of l3erry Okey, Serial No. 169,617, led February 19, k192@y The-metal ferrule is placed .over

the lovver endof the cork Wrapping and is secured to the handle by prick punching. The gripmember et is then secured in position Within the free end of the cylindrical body portion and the handle put in a rack to per-k mit the cementvto set and thoroughly dry, `-after which the handle is sanded' to remove ico surplus cement. 'The shank having'beenf previously Welded to the hoe blade isthen secured at its vfree endto kthe reducederlen- Y within and reenforces the and ofthe tubular handle. 'As in the prior construction, ,the plug 30 1S Vfirmly secured to the 'handleby punching indicated at *34, The plug SOmay be used'as a finishing meansfor the outer endf 'Oifthehandle Where the longer Wooden-grip Y of. the priorconstrliction is 'not desired..

In ,theV construction illustrated :fin Fig;Y V8k I have illustrated a modified manner of attaching a tubular metallic handle to a load bearing tool. In this construction I provide, as before, a tubular metallic handle 40 comprising a cylindrical body portion 41, a reduced extension 42 formed integrally with the body porti-on, and a hardwood grip member 43 tting within and finishing the outer end of the tubular handle. The body portion is covered with a ribbon-like strip of composition cork 44 spira-ily wound upon and cemented to the knurled exterior surface thereof. A ferrule 45 and an overlapping part 46 of the grip member serve to protect the ends of the cork wrapping.

.In this construction I provide a tapered hardwood plug 47 which fits within the re* duced extension 42 of the tubular handle. 'Ihe plug is provided with a longitudinally arranged opening 48 which receives a shank 49 formed integral with a tool proper which in this instance is in the form of a fork 50. The shank 49 is secured within the opening 48 in the hardwood plug 47 by means of a rivet 51. It is to be noted that the rivet 51 extends through the extension 42, plug 47 and shank 49 and thereby serves to also secure the plug 47 to the reduced extension.

A second rivet 52 is provided as an additional means for securing the plug` within the extension 42. A metal cap 53 tightly fits over the inner end of the plug 47, and serves to prevent the plug from splitting both during manufacture and subsequent use of the tool. The rivet 52 extends thro-ugh the reduced extension 42, the sides of the metal cap 53 and the hardwood plug, and when secured in place will force the side portions of the cap into the sides of the wooden plug and thus firmly secure the same to the reduced extension of the handle. The rivets 51 and 52 are arranged in planes extending at right angles to each other to provide a rigid fastening means for the plug, and also to aid in preventing the plug from splitting, as will be readily understood.

Heretofore such load bearing tools as hoes, rakes, shovels and the like have been provided with handles formed from some suitable wood such as ash or hickory, though little of the latter wood is now available. Handles of this character have a number of disof the handle under the weight of a load, or pressure during use; the breaking of the handle under excess loads or pressures; and the troublesome coming apart of the handle and the tool which is due to the ineffective known methods of securing a wooden handle to ametal tool proper. Also, due to the grownumber of times duringthe life of the tool proper.

An important feature of my improved handle construction resides in the fact that the portion thereof covered by the heat-insulating wrapping throughout its length is of uniform circular cross section. For this reason it is possible to effect the helical wrapping with the ribbon of composition cork without subjecting the latter to the uneven stresses and strains that would occur if the ribbon were snugly wrapped on a shaft of varying diameter. Furthermore if the shaft were of varying diameter the angle at which the ribbon is fed to the shaft would have to correspondingly vary and this would practically necessitate the wrapping of the ribbon by hand and at a cost that would be prohibitive for most purposes. With my construction it is possible to effect the wrapping by comparatively simple mechanical means and at low cost.

In providing my tool with a tubular metallic handle which is integrally united with the tool proper, I produce an unusually strong and durable construction which is made from materials which are always obtainable in suitable quantity and at moderate prices. The tool is well-balanced in the hands of the user, and the handle will not bend or break during the most strenuous use. The composition cork covering provides in addi tion to an effective heat-insulated gripping surface, one that is slightly yielding and smooth and as a result can be effectively grasped with a minimum tendency to blister the hands of the workman during use. The metal ferrule and the overlapping portions of both the grip member and the finishing plug provide an eective means for protecting the ends of the cork strip.

Both the plug and the grip member provide a neat finish for the upper end of the handle, and in addition the extensions pro- 'vide an effective means for securing the plug tothe handle and also serve to strengthen the `end of the handle.

The specific means for securing the tool proper to the handle shown in Fig. 8 is not claimed herein as it constitutes the subject matter of my Copending application Serial No. 202,839, filed July 1, 1927.

advantages such as the flexing or bending In the following claims, the term tool is to be given the broad meaning of an operating head for an implement, and it will be understood that the term would embrace the heads of golf clubs, the head of a rake, fork, hoe, the flexible portion of a fishing rod or the like, the term being a generic term.

As previously indicated various modifications of the device as herein disclosed can be made without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claimis 1- v 1. In a load bearing tool, the combination of-a tool proper; a metallic shank integrally united at one of its ends With the toolproper;

5 a tubular metallic handlehaving one oi its ends integrally united Wit-h the other end of the said shank and comprising an elongated body portion knurledgon its exterior surface;

a heat insulating strip` of composition cork lo sprally Wound upon andrcemented to the knurled surface of the said body portion; and a grip member secured to the free end ofthe said body portion and having a portion thereof overlying the end of the cork covering for protecting the-same. 1

" 2. Atool handle comprising in combination an elongated straight tubular metallic shaft sectionof uniform diameter; a heatinsulating strip of composition cork spirally Wound upon and cemented to the said shaft section; an extension formed integral With one end of the said shaftsection for the attachment of a tool; a ferrule secured tcl the said handle adjacent the juncture of the shaft section and integral extension and having a portion thereof overlying one end of the cork covering; and a member secured to the free end of the Said shaft section and having a portion thereof overlying the other end of the ycork covering.

v 3. A. tool handle comprising'k invcomhination an elongated straight metallic tubular portion having a roughened exterior surface vof substantially circular cross section; a heat insulating strip of composition cork spirally Wound on the said tubular portion, these adhesive means rigidly securing the cork to said roughened surface; and a non-Wound eXtension formed integral with one end ofthe said 4o `tllloular portion for the attachment of a tool.

4:. A handle Comprising in combination, an elongated ,substantially straight metallic tu- V bular portion of 'substantially circular cross section, an insulating strip of composition cork mate-rial, spirally Wounddonsaidtubw lar-portion and rigidly secured thereto,'- a hand grip secured to the free en dof said tu-l bular portion and comprising a tubular flange telescoped over the end portion ofsaid .Wound 5o strip, means restraininglongitudinal inove- Ymentof said handgrip on said tubular portion, and means for rigidly securing an op I n erating head to the other end of the vsaid tubular portion. Y

Y 551y yIn testimonyfvvhereof, l'hereunto my f Signature. K V

THOMAS. FJGONN'oas.

i so 

